


Found FOX!

by invisible_nerd_girl



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Fox Stiles, M/M, Werefox Stiles, Witch - Freeform, people get stabbed, some bloody scenes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-19
Updated: 2018-04-04
Packaged: 2019-04-04 11:47:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 14,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14019561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/invisible_nerd_girl/pseuds/invisible_nerd_girl
Summary: Derek finds a fox in the woods, which he knows isn't actually a fox, but a human.(Background, Stiles is kidnapped by a witch and he forgets that he is human, not just a fox.)





	1. Found

Derek frowned as he walked. He lost his car privileges for almost being caught by some trappers. His mother had dealt with them and they were arrested by the Deputy for putting traps up on public property. They were still waiting on the Sheriff’s return but the older members always avoided talking about it with the younger ones. Something about them being teenagers. He didn’t like the miserable looks they kept shooting each other. He knew the Sheriff’s wife had cancer. They moved to a bigger city so she could get better treatment for it. He also knew he was only returning home with his teenager son, but that was it. He never met any of them. 

“Great.” He blinked when he realized a bush had moved a little. A fox head appeared and slowly slipped out, watching him. Derek didn’t move, frozen in shock when it shifted into a teenager. The boy still sported fox features along with his multiple moles and lean frame, one being a tail that was tucked tightly between his legs. The teen remained crouched as he circled closer to Derek, a look of curiosity as he sniffed. When he was about three feet away the teen stopped, his head cocked to one side in confusion. 

“Hey” Derek blinked when he heard his own voice, soft and calm. He didn’t realize he was going to say anything before he did. The teen jumped back with his teeth bared and his claws leaving marks in the dirt. 

A reaction came from Derek and he lunged forward, grabbing the fox-teen and throwing him over his shoulder. He had to show his parents, and hopefully the creature wouldn’t be killed. The fox yipped and thrashed around for a few seconds but he didn’t manage to break free. The fox fell limp. After a heartbeat he heard what could only be called as the fox getting an idea before two hands slammed onto his ass and squeezed. 

“Hey!” Derek startled, accidently tossing the fox-teen into the air. The fox-teen landed roughly, his breath rushing from his lungs and Derek caught him again. Lifting his up, his pinned the teens back to his chest and held him there. The fox-teen snarled and kicked, and then shifted back to a full fox. The stinging of his rear made it easier for his to grab the fox’s scruff and clutch him to his chest tighter. He started walking home when a wolf bounded past, only to turn back.

“What do you have there, kid?” Peter stared at the fox for a second before he looked at him. The man pulled a face and nodded toward the house. “You get to explain.” 

“Thanks” Derek sneered but it came out pained as the fox tried biting. He used his free hand to gently pin the jaws shut and the fox fell limp again. A small whimper came from him as his claws dug into his jacket. Derek cringed when the hindlegs rested on his hips kicked out. 

“Spazzy one, isn’t he?” Peter laughed as Derek struggled against the newest escape attempt. 

“He’s wild. We can’t leave him alone on the preserve” Derek grunted as a kick connected with his stomach. Peter didn’t offer any help as he fought to keep his grip. Luckily they made it to the front of the house when a voice boomed out. 

“Derek Hale, just what do you have there!?” The Alpha tone brought the rest of the pack running and the fox went stiff. The door slammed open and the pack filed out behind his mother. 

“Um, I found him in the woods and…” Derek started to explain but his youngest sister interrupted. 

“Oh please don’t ask if we can keep him because he followed you home” She moaned out dramatically and his father stifled a chuckle. Derek shot a glare at her but his mother stepped forward and snapped her fingers at the fox. 

“Can you shift back?” Her eyes flared red but the fox just glared at her. Derek went to tell her that he could when the fox rolled his eyes and shifted back to his beta form. He tried not to blush when he remembered the teen was naked. He dropped him and pulled off his jacket, dropping around the others shoulders where he fell. The fox snorted but wrapped it tighter around himself. 

“A teenager?” His father stepped around his mother to get a closer look. The werewolf leaned forward and the fox leaned back against his legs. 

“He hasn’t talked yet but he’s smart.” Derek crouched down and the fox didn’t move away. “He nearly escaped twice and both times happened after he thought about it.”

“So he has control, and he’s smart but he won’t talk to us.” His mother and father looked at each other before they both nodded. “Physiological trauma” They stood and his mother waved her hand, “bring him in.” The pack filed into the house but his father waited. Derek nudged the fox-teen but the creature just grunted, digging his feet into the ground. He heaved a sigh and picked him up. The fox-teen yelped and circled into a ball, trying to cover himself up. 

“Be careful Derek” his father scolded gently and he scowled down at the fox-teen. The teen looked up at him through his eyelashes before smirking. Derek looked up to see his fathers back was turned when the teen whined low and struggled to stand, shoving away from him. 

“I will throw you over my shoulder again.” Derek snapped and ducked into the house. His father backhanded him and he huffed. The fox-teen snickered as he was gently set down. Derek tried to move away from the annoying fox but his legs gave out from under him. He caught him before his knees hit the ground and the teen growled. His father froze from behind him but Derek didn’t bother to tell him it was one of frustration instead of anger. 

“If you stopped being a jerk this wouldn’t have happened” Derek hauled the fox-teen up and walked him into the kitchen to sit him on a chair. The fox-teen stiffened as they pack mulled about around them. Derek slumped into the chair next to him and the fox-teen relaxed slightly. 

“Do you have a name?” Derek asked, digging out a bag of jerky Cora hid under the table. He popped it open, took a piece and passed it to the fox-teen. His mother moved around the kitchen as she got more food and placed a glass of water in front of the fox-teen as they munched on the jerky. The fox-teen watched them all with large eyes and a small smile. 

“Here. I think these will fit.” His father walked in and handed the fox-teen some clothes. A blush swarmed Derek’s face when he saw his boxers sitting on the top. The fox-teen blinked at the clothing in confusion, “Derek can help you dress in the bathroom if you need help and then we can get you more food.”

“What?” Derek gasped when the fox-teen nodded at his fathers suggestion. 

“He can barely stand and he should be dressed.” His father pointed in the direction of the bathroom. “March” 

“I know” Derek stood and grabbed what was clearly all his clothes, the fox-teen. He walked out with one under each arm. He easily caught the sound of his parents stifling their laughter. He sat the fox-teen on the counter along with the clothes. 

“You never answered with your name” Derek grumbled as he grabbed his boxers and held them out to the fox-teen. He blinked at them before he held out a hand to take them. The fox-teen flipped them around until his eyes lit up. He then glanced down as if just realizing that he was wearing nothing but a jacket and started to blush, dropping his hands to cover himself. 

“Well, if it makes it easier on you, mine is Derek” He swallowed thickly and turned his back to grab a wash cloth. He ran it under some warm water at the sink, taking time so the fox-teen could wiggle into the boxers. 

A small noise of pain made him straighten up and rush over. The fox-teen rubbed at his tail draped across his lap. Derek took a hand and placed the cloth in it so he could take a look. Dried blood ran along a part of the tail that was scarred. It had healed but it was fresh. The hair hadn’t a chance to grow back. Derek glanced up saw the fox-teen take a shuttered breath. 

“It should still be cleaned.” Derek didn’t break eye contact when he took the cloth back. The fox-teen nodded and he quickly went to work with the blood. Once he was done, he tossed the cloth in the sink and grabbed the pants in the same motion. He managed to get the pants up to mid-thigh and pulled him to his feet. 

“Can you get rid of your tail or no?” Derek suddenly realized what he was doing. The fox-teen was leaning against his chest, his hands resting on Derek’s arms that held him up by his waist. The fox-teen shook his head and Derek sighed. He pulled the pants up but the tail got in the way. 

“You know what I need to do now?” He asked and the Fox-teen who frowned in confusion. Stifling a snarl, he let his claws slip out and rip at the back of the pants. He pulled the tail through the hole yanked the pants up. The fox-teen smacked him, hard across the chest and he caught the second throw. 

“You could’ve done it yourself but you wanted help” Derek snapped, knowing he was being a little childish but he was a teenager. He felt like he was being punished for trying to help. The fox-teen blinked at him, and then snatched the shirt up. He held the clothing up before glancing at Derek. For a heartbeat he thought he was being judged that it was a band shirt but then he realized that wasn’t it. The fox-teen picked at it as he peered at the holes. He didn’t look at Derek’s face, but his chest, like he was trying to figure out how to get the shirt on. 

“Crap” Derek ducked his head as he took a deep breath. They didn’t know anything about this creature, only that he was living in the woods for an amount of time and there was something wrong with his head. Derek lifted his hands in a pacifying gesture and the Fox-teen glared. He struggled for a few more minutes, smacking Derek’s hand when were he reached forward to help. At one point the shirt was over his head but stuck on his ears. His movements were stuttered and unsure.

“You haven’t been in your human form for a long while.” Derek more than stated then asked as the Fox-teen popped out of the top of the shirt. He flicked his ears back and glared some more. Derek rolled his eyes and picked up the last item of clothing. It was a red hoodie and he held it out. He held in a chuckle at the faces the fox-teen made at him before holding out his arms limply. He nudged them so they were above his head and pulled it over.

“I don’t think it’s been washed since last week but I only wore it once so it shouldn’t be rank” He explained as he flipped the hood off and picked the fox-teen up off the counter. He managed to stay on his feet but Derek had to help him walk out of the room. 

“How’d it go?” His mother smiled at them as if she and the entire household didn’t hear the whole thing. 

“He’s dressed.” Derek nodded to the fox-teen who was tucked under his arm. “And walking.” 

“I can see that” His father beamed at them. “How about eating?” Derek settled the fox-teen at the table and sat next to him. “Peter opted to have pizza so he took off and half the family followed.”

“Better than left overs” Derek sniffed at some steak and made sure to send his mother a puppy-dog look. 

“Well, it’s pizza with Peter or left overs with the parents and our guest.” His father laughed as his mother waved some salad tongs at him. He gave a shrug but smiled a little at their antics. The fox-teen watched them with wide eyes but his shoulders relaxed slowly. 

“Oh no!” His mother cut her steak up and his father grabbed one. Derek arched an eyebrow at her while he stabbed his fork into one and placed it on the fox-teen’s plate without thinking before he took one for himself. 

“What dear?” His father munched on the steak, occasionally shooting the evil eye at the salad. 

“We are stuck having dinner with the two people who speak the least in this house, even when it’s full” She chuckled low and both his parents laughed at their running joke of him not being a talker. He usually didn’t mind but the tiny noises that came from the fox-teen next to him made his face heat up. He had one hand holding a fork halfway up to his mouth with a large chuck of meat and the other was covering his mouth. The sleeve of his hoody was to long and covered his hand. His parents started to laugh harder when his heart skipped a beat and he huffed. 

“Hilarious” Derek went back to eating and after a while his parents settled down. They stopped pulling jokes and started talking about their day. He ate his fill and made sure that the Fox-teen had plenty to eat. He didn’t know if the creature would have the same metabolism as him but he ate even more than Derek could manage. He seemed to like the salad and Derek wouldn’t deny that his father looked grateful for it. 

“Is everyone full?” His father leaned back and tried to cover up a belch. His mother shot him a glare and he chuckled but everyone nodded. Derek stretched his arms over his head before he cleared the dishes with his father. His mother put the remaining food away as they started washing.

“No, you stay down. We can clean up” His mother scolded, and Derek glanced over his shoulder to see the fox-teen flopping back into his seat with a humph. He pouted but Derek just chuckled. The Alpha tone made him mind. His mother trotted out of the room and a spoon suddenly bounced off the back of his head. 

“Hey!” Derek snatched the spoon off the floor and tossed it back. The fox-teen ducked down and hid across the seats. 

“Derek Hale. Did you just throw a spoon at our guest?” His father didn’t managed to sound as stern as his mother as he saw the first throw. 

“He what?” His mother called from the other room but she didn’t seem angry. 

“He started it” Derek yelled and then stopped, staring at the table as he processed the words that just came out of his mouth. 

“He finally said the moronic sibling thing!” His mother laughed. “I can’t believe it. I finally get to tell you this.” His mother leaned around the corner with a massive grin on her face and he knew what was coming. “I don’t care who started it, I’m finishing it.”

“You’ve technically said that to me before” He called out.

“No, I’ve told your sisters that. Not you specifically” Derek nodded and headed back to washing the dishes. The fox-teen was sitting with his tail wagging slightly as he watched. Derek wondered if he was ever going to talk. “Hey, he’s staying in your room tonight kid. You brought him home and the spare room is full.” 

“Ugh” Derek let his head drop. His father bumped his shoulder with his own and flashed him a comforting smile. 

“Peter is already been banned to the couch, so if you want to take it up with Ava…?” His father beamed when Derek shook his head. Peters mate was sometimes crazy. He ate a piece of cheesecake he found in the fridge and she nearly ripped his face off. They finished off the rest of the dishes and he walked over to the Fox-teen and held out his arm. 

“Come on” He helped him to his feet and had to carry him up the stairs. He used his foot to shove the door open but froze at the small gasp next to him. He sniffed the air wondering if he had any of he sports gear inside to make it smell. That wasn’t it. Plus his mother made his store it all in the shed outside due to body odor and werewolf scent glands not mixing. 

“What?” He asked, looking around to see if he left any thing that would cause the reaction. There were a few dirty cups on his desk from when he was studying and the clothes basket was overflowing. He hadn’t made his bed in days and the wall that was just one massive bookshelf full of books needed some dusting in parts. Anyone could see which books he read last but he hadn’t had the time. 

The fox-teen made a noise in the back of his throat and pulled away. Derek watched wearily as he stumbled into the room and stopped in front of the bookshelf. He dropped to an animalistic crouch before slowly folding his legs under him as he stared at all the books. He slowly took one out and started flipping idly like he did it every day. Derek found that he didn’t mind. 

“You know, you make a lot of noise for someone who doesn’t talk.” He commented, kicking off his shoes and hanging his jacket on the hook by his door. He grabbed one of his school books and sat down at his desk. He smiled when the fox-teen trilled in delight at finding another book. After a few minutes of failed reading, Derek gave up in favor of watching the fox-teen. 

“What happened to you?” He asked, spotting another scar across the bottom of his foot. It must have been painful. The fox-teen looked at him for a heartbeat before he shrugged and went back to his book. 

“Do you remember?” Derek pressed and the fox-teen shot him the smallest glare before shaking his head. 

“Great” He tossed his book aside and walked over to flop onto his bed. He closed his eyes for what felt like a second but when he opened them it was dark. The light was off but a patch of moonlight was on the bed, where the fox-teen had a book open. Derek stiffened slightly in shock. He didn’t expect to sleep, and his wolf didn’t wake him up when the stranger joined him in his bed. 

The fox-teen glanced over from his book and beamed at him. Derek tried to fight the sleep that over came him but the presence of the fox-teen had made his wolf comforted, so fighting it with logic wasn’t going to keep his eyes open.


	2. A week later

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter before the real shit goes down. (Derek is a bit of a foul mouth, so here's the warning.)   
> Pancake mess!!!!

A week passed and it was the strangest week Derek had yet to experience with his family. The fox-teen fit right in to almost everywhere in the mornings and evenings. However, he still didn’t speak and Derek had to leave him behind for school since they didn’t have a name to find out who he was. The first full day his parents talked to him before trying to see what they could find out from the land where he had been living. They agreed they would keep him until he was ready to face what had happened to him. 

About fitting in, so far the fox-teen had won a food fight at dinner, helped Cora with her homework when every one else refused to do it for her while she watched the new episode of her favorite show, stolen Derek’s red hoodie, read half of his books and listened to all of his CD’s after scoffing at him for still having CD’s, helped Peter pull a prank on his mother but actually got Laura. He then got out of her getting them back by doing a convincing puppy-dog eyes at her as a fox. 

The Hale household loved him, but they were busy trying to find out who he was. The problem was that they didn’t know where his scars came from, and if they announced that they had him, they would be gambling that they came back to hurt him again. Derek knew he wasn’t sleeping as well as he should, that the Fox-teen was having nightmares. He would wake in the middle of the night to find the Fox-teen reading at his desk instead of sleeping, his shoulders stiff and tail fluffed up twice as large as normal. Derek would get up and take him back to his bed. Last night it had gotten to the point where he made a burrito out of the fox-teen and placed him next to the wall so he would have to go over him to escape to the desk. He had woken to an empty bed and three more books finished on his desk. 

Derek was also talking more, which was strange for him. The fact that the fox-teen didn’t speak at all made it so he had to do all the talking. The fox-teen would answer his questions with shrugs, nods and little noises. The fact of the matter, he enjoyed trying to read what the fox-teen was trying to say. In little moments when he would read or watch a show, Derek would guess what was going through his mind by his face or tail. He loved it when he got it right and he would end up staring at him in shock when he asked, and he loved it when he got it wrong and got a look of annoyance filled with something else he had yet to place. 

“Thank God it’s the weekend.” Derek ran a hand down his face and stood. He didn’t bother changing out of his pajamas as he wondered the house. It was early in the morning but he knew the fox-teen hadn’t left the house. No one else was awake so finding him in the kitchen was a little startling. It would have been less so if he wasn’t covered in batter and flower and the counters clear of what looked like a pancake nuke went off. 

“Morning” Derek pressed his lips together to hide his smile when the fox-teen jumped guilty-like, flailing around so more flour puffed in he air. Once he was in control of himself, he shot a glare at Derek but it turned more into a miserable pout, his tail twitching behind him. 

“Need help?” He asked, waiting while the fox-teen mulled over his answer, gazing around the messy kitchen. When he nodded, he jumped into action. First thing, wash water to clean the mess off the table and counters so they had a space to work. 

“Is the batter good?” Derek nodded to the bowl in his hands and it was shoved into his chest. Derek shook his head and handed it back.

“You started it, finish it. I can clean up and tell you what to do, set the table, all the other crap. You cook” He didn’t expect the fox-teen to start to tear up at his answer. He suddenly didn’t have the heart to tell him that he couldn’t cook pancakes. He knew how, but he always managed to kill the pancake and they were never eatable. He did scrub the batter off the counters as he tossed any dirty dishes he found into the sink. He scrubbed the table and set out plates and toppings as he told the fox-teen what to do. He made him stop briefly to clean himself up before he got to the cooking part. After a few dud-cakes, he got the hang of it so Derek started washing up the dishes. 

“What’s this?” Laura stumbled in, rubbing her eyes and yawning. Derek passed her favorite cup to her as she passed to the coffee that finished brewing. 

“Don’t know. Walked in on it” Derek didn’t mention the mess but Laura turned her cup over to reveal poorly mixed, chunk of batter sticking to the bottom of it. 

“Oh, it’s been a week and you are already helping him cover his ass.” Laura commented low as she grabbed his sponge and wiped it clean. He glared at the back of her head as she got her coffee and sat down. He couldn’t help shooting a busted look at the cook, who was trying not to laugh while blushing, tiny chips slipping out. 

“Oooo, pancakes” His father wondered in and the fox-teen set a plate with three pancakes in the middle of the table. “Did you make these?”

“He did it all by himself.” Derek supplied while he nodded vigorously. His mother walked in and blinked at the scene of them. He watched her out of the corner of his eyes and hid his frown. 

“Is this a thanks for helping you?” She smiled kindly but he could see she was thinking fast. The fox-teen nodded with bright eyes as he successfully flipped the newest pancake perfectly with his tail wagging a little. Derek narrowed his eyes, wondering if he had done it before and was just screwing with him. “Well thank you for this wonderful breakfast, but if we are to have enough for everyone you better double time it.”

“I’ll help” Derek added quickly at the panicked look on his face and his mother laughed. 

“We all will.” She grabbed two pancakes and sandwiched them together with peanut butter and jelly. “Let me just get something first.” 

“I can make some more batter” Laura finished hers and stood, leaving her plate behind for when they had more. 

“I don’t think he expected us to all come in at the same time” Derek flashed smile as he finished the last of the causality dishes and pulled out a second skillet. His mother snatched it from his hands and he stood there, a little lost now that he didn’t have a job to do. 

“Why don’t you have this next one?” His mother nodded to the pancake that just finished and the fox-teen nodded. Before he could protest, it was shoved into his hands on a plate and he was forcibly placed at the table. His father beamed at him over his own pancake and waved his coffee cup around as if to tell him to relax. Derek pouted slightly as the three were-creatures went about taking turns making the pancakes. 

It took about an hour before they were done eating and out of batter. Peter and Cora ended up eating ten full sized ones between them before they left to watch morning news. Cora had to write a paper about current events at school and procrastinated, begging the fox-teen to help. It was in vain because he seemed content with cooking, eventually waving his arms around to shoo her away. The fox-teen ate his far share and his mother made Laura finish washing the dishes for trying to run out without washing her own plate. Ava had woke last and ate what was left. All in all it was a busy but fun morning. 

“I got work to do” Derek sighed and headed up to his room. He hadn’t managed to get any homework done with his guest around so he needed to focus. Hopefully he could get it done without falling asleep again. Having a room mate that rarely sleeps, has nightmares, wont talk at all and make tons of little noises is exhausting, and he didn’t really mind. It was concerning but he shoved it to the back of his mind and got to work. It was basic stuff but a little time consuming. He finished by the time lunch swung around. 

His parents had left earlier but he wasn’t sure where to, and they took Laura with them so the house was mostly quiet. Ava was asleep again, enjoying a lazy day and Cora was working frantically on her own homework. He smiled as he heard cussing come from her bedroom. The only adult up was Peter, who was watching some old cartoons with three creepy kids bouncing off the walls and dropping bombs down peoples pants, so he wouldn’t get after her for her language. Fox-teen was sitting as far as he could get from Peter on the couch and was watching the cartoon with a look on confusion. 

“Don’t think to hard about it kid?” Peter chortled when the screen flashed red and orange from a bomb going off. He shot the tiniest glare at him before hopping up and shoving Derek out of the room. They ended back up in his room so he wondered over to his food stash and grabbed a snack. 

“I’ve seen you watch that show. Do you just not like Peter?” Derek murmured, careful that his uncle didn’t over hear them, or him. He nodded, shooting him a small look riddled with guilt with his ears flicking around and Derek shrugged. 

“Don’t worry about it. He’s weird.” Derek spoke through a yawn and he slumped onto his bed. “How about a mid-day nap?” He didn’t really understand why he asked but he knew that the fox-teen was tired too. He nodded again and slunk over, falling into the bed next to Derek. He failed to fight off a second yawn and smacked his lips together when it was over, closing his eyes so he could finally rest. The fox-teen laughed and threw a blanket over him to shut him up. Maybe they were the weird ones.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please comment. XP


	3. Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning, mentions of being captured by witch and a panic attack.  
> Stiles gets his memories back before the Argents show up for a visit.

A racing heartbeat reached Dereks ears and he felt ready to jump out of bed. He didn’t. He opened his eyes just in time for a flailing limb to smack him in the face. Without thinking, he grabbed it and flipped, dragging the fox-teen with him. He ended up sitting on his bed while he held the panicking Fox-teen on his lap, trying to calm him down. 

“Hey, come now. You’re safe.” Derek tried speaking but the full body sobs coming from him made his throat start to close up. He closed his eyes and buried his face in the teens neck in attempt to comfort him. He froze when the teen started talking. It was almost to fast for him to understand but once he got over his shook he still had concentrate to understand what was being said. The voice was rough and cracking and full of pain. 

“The witch, she took me and tried to do something. She took my memories as human so she could do it and because I was resisting. She cut my foot so I couldn’t run away! But I did. I got away and she was so angry and she wanted to hurt me more. She said I would never remember. She ….” The fox-teen dissolved into confused whimpers, holding his head in his hands as Derek rocked him slightly. 

“So you’re remembering again.” Derek asked, not receiving an answer. “Do you remember your name?” 

“Stiles. Stiles Sti… Oh god. I don’t know” Stiles cried out covering his face and wrapping his tail around his middle. Derek growled slightly when the door creaked open. Cora peered in, her eyes wide. Stiles sniffed, peering at her and she carefully made her way over, watching them as she dropped onto the bed. “Hi” Stiles wiggled around on Derek’s lap so he was facing her and tucked himself under his chin. His ears tickled at his neck and chin but he steeled himself.

“Hi” Cora smiled back but Derek glared at her when it turned into a smirk when Stiles snuggled closer. “Here!” She lunged across the room and grabbed one of Derek’s extra notebooks. Stiles pressed closer to Derek as she landed on the bed again, making it creak. “Tell me everything you remember about anything you want. Then we can go over or maybe take you to some of the safer locations to see if it will trigger more memories.”

“Are you up to this?” Derek nuzzled Stiles hair cause it was right there in his face and he could still his racing heartbeat. Stiles didn’t seem to mind. On the contrary, his heartbeat slowed back to normal and he nodded to Cora after several deep breathes with his face buried in Derek’s chest. 

“So, my name is Stiles. Last name starts with S T I, I think.” He frowned for a second and shrugged. “I just remembered how to speak, which is a little funny because you were doing it this entire time and I was answering with nods and stuff but it just didn’t click that I could do it too. I was still thinking I was a four legged fox at the time without the ability to talk.”

“But you were walking around with us. You made pancakes!” Cora gaped at him and Derek smacked her arm. 

“I have no idea.” Stiles chuckled, and Derek quickly hid his face from his little sister. He could feel the vibrations of it through his chest and he involuntarily tightened his grip on the fox. The fluffy tail dropped away from his middle as he wagged it. 

“Ok, what else?” Cora scribbled down the name and frowned. 

“Um, I think the witch was named Anna, and she had blond hair at the time. Her magic was odd though, like it wasn’t working right. She said she needed a familiar so she decided it would be me.” He paused and the only prominent sound was the pencil on the paper. “I was moving somewhere. I was moving back to my childhood home. I was taken before we could finish packing. I left my house to get more tape for the boxes when she jumped me. I thought I could escape, and I thought someone was going to come for me. But she hurt me.” Stiles stopped, his heart hate didn’t pick up but he ran his hand over a scar along his arm and curled closer to both wolves. Cora didn’t hesitate to press against his knees and started to rub little circled on his ankle. 

“How did you escape?” Derek rubbed up and down his back, hating the fact that he had to put him through this. 

“She needed to go and get some ingredients for the final spell to bind me to her. Before he left she cut my foot.” He pulled his leg up to show the long scar along the bottom of his foot. It had healed a little since Derek first saw it but both wolves cringed. “She said it was to keep me from escaping. I couldn’t remember anything at this point, but she hurt me so I knew I had to get free. I used my blood to get the chains off and shifted. I forgot what it was to be human, so I’ve been living in the forest for about three full moons. I don’t know why I traveled this way. I felt as though I had to, but once I got to the edge of your territory, I was too scared.”

“Of us?” Cora didn’t miss a beat, batting her eyes to brighten the mood even as she wrote down everything she could. “I mean Derek couldn’t hurt a bunny, let alone a little shy fox” 

“I know that now” Stiles and Cora laughed loudly and the room relaxed from the tension of hearing his story. A sound of a car made them all turn toward the drive way. 

“That’s the parental figures. I’m just gonna give them this” She got to her feet and stretched before leaning over, planting a purposely wet kiss onto Stiles cheek. “We got this. She isn’t going to get near you again, or she’s going to regret it.”

“I don’t want you guys to get hurt over me” Stiles called after her as she raced out of the room and thundered down the stairs. His ears flicked around, his face a mixture between worry and relief. Derek didn’t bother to listen to his parents enter the house as Stiles sniffed again. His heartbeat sped up as well as his breathing and Derek started murmuring comforting words. It wasn’t a full-on panic attack like before, but there was anxiety involved and grief. 

“Excuse me, but what’s going on here?” A voice came from the doorway and Derek growled. Kate Argent was standing there with a thinly veiled look of hostility on her face. Derek huffed, suddenly no longer liking her. He could feel more than heard Stiles bite back a groan of fear as he turned his head away from her. 

“Comforting a friend. What does it look like?” Derek snapped, forcing his fangs to stay in place. He felt like throwing her out a window. She leaned her head back with the smallest sneer before her face became one full of love and understanding. 

“Of course, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize. Is this your friend your parents told me about?” She tried to enter the room and this time Derek did growl. Stiles added his own growl, though it was hard to hear over Derek’s, and she froze. 

“This is not the time for introductions. He’s been through a lot and jumpy around strangers.” Derek lied easily. She held his gaze before backing out of the room. Stiles hid a smile in Derek’s shoulder and he had to hold a straight face, which would be easier if his lap wasn’t occupied. 

“I came here to see you Derek, but if your busy…” She batted her eyes softly and Derek huffed at her attempt to get his attention back. 

“Yes, I think I am.” He frowned at her, “You know, comforting a friend with PTSD isn’t something I’m just going to bail on because you decided to drop by” 

“Of course not” He felt a trickle of glee as she back tracked. He didn’t know this side of her, but he didn’t like it. Making a note in the back of his head to avoid her at all cost, he glared until she was gone. He held in his sigh of relief as he waited. Stiles said nothing, only running his hand absent mindedly along Derek’s arm. A full minute passed before she went down the stairs and they both breathed easily. 

“You know her?” Stiles asked, his ears flicking as he focused them on the strange voices greeting Kate downstairs. Derek huffed and fell sideways onto his bed, pulling the fox with him. 

“Can I tell you later when they’re gone?” He threw his arm over his face and Stiles laughed low. They hid in his room and watched a movie on his computer. Cora made her way in with Laura but they didn’t hang around. Cora being shooed off by Stiles to do her homework so he didn’t have to help, and Laura had to leave to say goodbye to the Argents. 

“Stiles?” Derek lifted his head to see his mother peering in half way through the final battle of pirates. Stiles perked up and glanced away from the movie. 

“Yes?” She beamed when he spoke and Derek felt something in his chest warm. His alpha walked in and sat at the chair of his desk and sighed. 

“I heard you tell off Kate” She flashed a smile at him but there was a sternness in her eyes. For heartbeat the room seemed tense, but then they burst into laughter a second later. “I’m sorry boys, but that’s one of the greatest thing that’s ever happen. We have to play nice with the Argents, but she can back off.” 

“Thanks Mom. I wasn’t really thinking.” Derek smiled easily and Stiles stretched next to him. 

“Thank you for helping me. I still don’t remember much but I really appreciate your help.” Stiles shuffled slightly and propped herself up. “I know you didn’t have to.”

“What? You’re a peach to be around, most of the time, and what were we to do? Derek brought you home, so we had to help.” She smiled, and Derek groaned, burying his face in his hands. Stiles chuckled and flashed a trademark smirk at him. 

“A lot of it is still blurry in my head but it’s starting to come back little by little.” Stiles yawned and settled down next to him. “It’s not so terrible now. I know I’m still missing stuff but right now I have such a headache.” 

“Then you two should relax a little. It’s been stressful few days.” She stood with an easy smile on her face. “Finish the movie. I’m going to go make some dinner for everyone.”

“Just to let you know, you’re not a peach to hang out with when your making jokes at my expense.” Derek smacked the fox with his pillow before rolling onto his stomach so he wouldn’t see the smile on his face. Stiles snickered, wrapping himself around Derek’s back and his tail snacking against the mattress as they faced the movie again. He could never tell anyone that he enjoyed the cuddles.


	4. Snow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The witch tries to get the Fox.

A sudden snow storm dropped a good three feet of snow and while the humans decided to stay in town, his family only saw a chance to have a blast. They didn’t bother to bundle up, instead shifting to their wolf forms and racing out the door. Peter stayed behind with Ava. Derek knew he had a surprise for her consisting of a small cabin on the preserve for them to move into when the baby finally came. His mother said they would want some alone time to bond with the child before he or she was brought back to meet the pack and they weren’t in any danger. 

“Where is everybody?” Stiles panted out from under him. The fox had followed in the trench he had made with his body and was trying to take shelter between his front paws. It had stopped snowing, but the slightest noise would cause clumps of it to fall off the tree branches above them. He cocked his head to one side before trying to make his way to his sister, who he could hear playing ahead of him. He glanced down when he realized that Stiles was still under him. 

“Cheater.” He laughed and crouched low, squishing the fox before he jumped as far as he could without making a path. He didn’t care how he looked as he bounced forward a few more times, leaving several feet between his holes in the snow drifts. Wiggling around, he sat as he watched Sties try to catch up. 

“You’re a jerk!” Stiles panted out, the snow above his head as he jumped forward, his paws churning in the white fluff. His red fur wasn’t visible past all the snow caked on it but his nose poked out, trying to make his way forward with unsteady jerks. 

“Derek, stop messing with Stiles” Laura scolded as Stiles vanished under the snow again. She shoved her way forward and stuck her head in the hole where he was last but came up with nothing. 

“What?” Derek cocked his head to the side when something slammed into his side. He huffed as his breath was knocked out of his lungs and his paws slipped in the soft snow. Stiles stood on his chest with his tail fluffed high above his head in triumph. 

“I win!” Stiles crowed, bouncing up and down on him. 

“How did you do that?” Cora bounced closer, her wolf form had shorter legs than all of them so she had to put more effort in to get through.

“I tunneled!” Stiles hopped off and wiggled into the snow bank. Derek watched in surprise as he popped up next to Laura, standing on his hind legs with his front paws on her shoulders. Derek rolled back to his feet as the Alpha bounded around the corner. 

“Home! Now!” She growled at them as she moved past. Derek moved to do as he was told but Laura had left Stiles on his own. He tried to chase after the wolves but he was struggling to get to the path left by them, not wanting to lose sight of the pack. Derek quickly made his way over and snatched him up by his scruff. Stiles yelped out but fell limp in his jaws as he moved after his pack. 

“What’s going on?” Laura tried to call to their Alpha but she kept them moving. Derek felt the cold seep into his bones but he kept his paws moving under him. While he and Stiles had been playing, the wind had picked up and the fox didn’t show any sign of tiring. Now that Derek was feeling it, he knew Stiles was exhausted and the silence between them was proof. They made it back home and his parents raced around the house several times before they entered. 

“Did you find her?” Ava appeared, her eyes flashing with color but the tang of fear filled the air the moment they went to check on her. 

“Who?” Cora tried get their parents attention but Derek was busy with Stiles. He shifted and grabbed the red hoodie that the fox had claimed and dropped it over the fox he had set on the couch. He burrowed into the fabric and stuck his nose out of the hole for the head before he let out a low whine. 

“This snow was made by magic.” His mother explained softly, “The witch was here, thinking that it would make us stay inside so she could catch us off guard.”

“Peter chased after her when she tried to enter but he hasn’t come back.” Ava pressed her hand over his buldging stomach with tears brimming her eyes. Laura moved to her side and helped her back to her room, murmuring comforting words. 

“Laura, watch your brother and sister.” His mother called out from by the door. 

“We’re going to go find Peter.” His father nodded to him and then the door. “Lock this behind us.” 

“Got it.” Derek jumped to his feet and quickly did as he was told, He grabbed a pair of sweats and a second hoodie, getting dressed fast after he saw Stiles hide his face in the hood. He walked over a sat on the other side of the couch with a faint smile. He knew they were in danger, but Stiles looked adorable in his fox form, tucked up in a hoodie. A second later he was human, mostly. His ears still fox-like, flattened to his head by the hood being to small to hold them, and his tail still sticking our behind him. He pulled the red fabric down to cover his privates. Derek glanced around for a pair of pants for him. Being a wolf family, they had clothes in the oddest of places and he found another pair of his sweats hanging over a chair in the kitchen. It was left there after he went for a run a few day’s earlier. 

“Here” Derek tossed it at him and smacked him in the face. He felt heat rise up when Stiles shifted and he accidently caught an eyeful, but he quickly hid it and flicked on the TV. He shifted through the news channels, most of which were still trying to explain the sudden snow storm. He jerked when a cold hand landed on his arm as he ended up on a station that had one of the Harry Potter movies playing. 

“This is good” Stiles snuggled close, tucking his legs tight against his chest and pulling Derek’s arm around his shoulders with one hand while the other took the remote from his. His body was freezing and he gave the occasional shiver. 

“Fine” Derek huffed, trying to sound like it wasn’t obvious that Stiles had him wrapped around his finger. He just didn’t realize it until now. Even though he could feel the tension in Stiles from having the witch near, but as he ran his hand up and down his arm, smiling as some of the stress eased. 

They watched the movie until the end, which lasted for almost an hour. When it finished they went into the kitchen to help Laura make dinner. Stiles wondered around for the most part, in a fear filled daze and ended up making everyone hot chocolate. He silently handed it out to everyone in the house before making a face. He made three more and placed them on the table. A second later his parents and Peter stumbled in. They shook off the snow with looks of frustration. Before he opened his mouth, Stiles gestured toward the drinks he made. The three adults wore matching looks of pain and disappointment as they made their way over to the table. 

“Thank you, but I have to see my wife” Peter murmured, bumping his shoulder against Stiles to show his thanks. His father slumped into a chair and took a slow breath. 

“I know you didn’t catch her.” Stiles forced a smile, but it fell after a second. Derek went to take a step forward but Stiles pressed back against his side. “It’s OK. I’m sorry she scared Ava.”

“There’s no reason to be sorry. She should know better than to mess with a pack of wolves.” His mother growled low but gently took her own drink. She smiled slightly after a sip and shook her head. “It wasn’t just her though, but don’t worry. We know better now so the adults are going to handle this. You just focus on recovering.” 

“Thanks?” Stiles pulled a face that made Derek want to laugh but it didn’t seem like a good time. They all jumped when the timer for the lasagna went off and then they scrambled to get the table set up. The food helped with the air of frustration, but it seemed to go down rough. Derek didn’t eat much because he was too focused on making sure that Stiles did. He wondered briefly if he had anything in his room to give him as a snack in the middle of the night if he woke up hungry but ended up frowning at his plate. He didn’t know why he was obsessed with feeding him properly. For all he knew, foxes wouldn’t need as much food as a wolf. 

“I’m going to go work on my essay” Derek stood and washed his plate before blindly making his way to his room. He stood in the doorway as he tried to think what it would be like when Stiles moved on. He wasn’t a fool. He knew Stiles would eventually remember his last name and want to go home to his family. Derek also knew he would never be ready for his room to be just his room anymore. 

“Hey” Stiles walked up behind him, his hand glancing over his arm as he stepped past into the room. “Mind if I read while you work. Promise I wont disturb you.”

“Stiles.” Derek snapped his mouth shut so fast that his tooth clipped his lip and a trickle of blood slipped down his chin. He scowled at the taste in his mouth and at his own actions. The fox stared at him for a second before walking over, snatching up a towel off the ground and started cleaning up his chin. 

“You should be more careful” Stiles breathed out, an evil smirk suddenly gracing his face. “I can fix that.” Before Derek could move a muscle, he was being kissed. It was chaste and soft. “See, all better.” Derek opened his eyes that he didn’t even know he closed to see Stiles walking away. 

“Uh, better.” Derek ran his tongue over his lips. They didn’t feel any different. 

“You should get to work on that essay.” He could hear the smirk in his voice as he peered over the rim of his book. Derek walked over and nudged the book out of his hand. Stiles was laughing at him and he didn’t care. He wanted one more kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter. Please comment.


	5. Finding Scott

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another short chapter. Scott meets Derek for the first time after Stiles gets found.

Life was strange with Stiles and Derek found that he didn’t want it any other way. They didn’t do anything more than kiss, and there was a lot of cuddling. He loved it when Stiles walked around in his hoodie and part of him was sure that his family knew what was happening, yet another part of him thought they were to busy working with what had happened with the snow. 

“Derek Hale, are you even paying attention!” His history teacher snapped him out of his thoughts. He stiffened as the class fell silent, waiting for his answer, which his blank mind supplied nothing. A giggle came from the back of the room as he straightened up, trying not to look busted or uncomfortable. 

“Uh, no. I wasn’t” What was that about honesty being the best policy? Good time to test it out.

“That’s the third time this week Mr. Hale. One more time and you’ll be getting detention.” Derek cringed but the class moved on. He ducked his head down to scribble what notes he could. There was a massive gap in his time line but he didn’t care. He could read the book later when he could run a hand through Stile’s hair because he was reading a book next to him. 

“Dude” A pencil hit his leg and he glanced up. Derek blinked innocently at the teacher, who was glaring at him out of the corner of his eye before he went back to writing on the board. He scooped up the pencil and handed it back to the kid who threw it with a kind smile. 

“Thanks” He hissed. He thought his name was Isaac but he wasn’t sure. 

“Get that girl out of you head or you’re going to be in for it” The kit whispered back, making him blush. 

“Is it that obvious?” Derek groaned. Half the people near him all turned and nodded, making him slam his head onto the desk. The laughter started up again and he rolled his head to the side, looking up to see arms crossed above him. “Detention?” 

“Yes, today after class.” The arms moved out of his line of sight and he saw Isaac shoot him a busted look. 

“Thanks anyway.” Derek muttered and rolled his face into his notes, deciding that was the best place to spend the rest of the class period. 

The rest of the day moved slowly knowing that he was going to be stuck there longer made his temper flare slightly but all he could do was steal himself and pout a little. He wasn’t certain but he might not have spoken a word to anybody after what had happened. He had a lot to think about. As he moved down the halls to detention, he shook his head as a scent reached his nose. 

“Huh” He shrugged after he recognized it. Scott, a werewolf that was bitten a few years ago by a random wolf. The Hale pack taught him a few things but with school going on and some family issues the past few months, he hadn’t seen him. He was a pack member, but a little skittish around all of them at once. He must be in detention too. Derek had a second to contemplate why such a nice wolf would be in trouble when the door of the classroom slammed open. 

“You!” Scott charged and slammed into him before he could react. His shock at seeing the usually chill wolf caught him off guard, as well as the sudden aggression towards him by another wolf. It wasn’t the ‘get in your place’ snap of the jaws or growl, this was serious ‘I’m going to fucking kill you’ attack.

“Whoa, Scott” Derek grabbed the wolf by his shoulders as he was shoved backward. His shoes gaining no traction on the smooth floors. He could use the momentum of the attack though, so he leaned to the side and shoved. Throwing Scott past him and into a wall. Derek yanked open the nearest door, which was a classroom, just in time to snatch Scott up by the back of his shirt and bundle him into the room. 

“Where is he?” Scott screamed, kicking at him from the floor as he got to his feet. Derek sunk into a slight crouch as the wild wolf jumped at him. He easily flipped him in the air and pinned him to the ground. Scott almost broke free and Derek had to think fast, placing a knee on his back with his hand holding his arms behind his back, the other hand clapped over his mouth. He dug his claws into his cheeks as the wolf screamed, his body fighting Derek’s hold. He was going to hurt himself, and Derek. 

“Scott, listen to me. I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but you need to calm down.” Derek growled in his ear and he swallowed as the screams turned to sobs. “I don’t know how to help you but you can’t attack me, so I’m going to let you up.” He paused, but when he received no reply he had nothing better to do. He let go. Stepping back, he wiped the blood from his claws and cringed at the marks on his face. Scott rubbed at his face before glaring at him hate.

“Where is Stiles?” Scott got to his feet and stood there shaking like he was still itching to hurt him. Derek was to busy trying to process what just happened to care that he might get jumped again. 

“Stiles?” Derek managed to get out, this time taking a step back and the ferocity on face in front of him. 

“Stiles! My brother who’s been missing for months! We thought he was dead but you smell like him.” Scott prowled forward until he was less than an inch away. “Are you the one who took him?”

“You know Stiles?” Derek felt ecstatic. He found someone who knew Stiles. Someone who called him brother, who was crazy enough to attack another wolf for just smelling like him. 

“You could say that” Scott suddenly looked unsure of himself at Derek’s reaction. 

“You have a last name for him?” Derek asked quickly, grabbing his shoulders. “Never mind, he’s going to want to see you. I think. Once he remembers you it should be good.” Derek ran to the door and scanned the hallway for teachers. 

“Remembers me?” Scott hadn’t moved and Derek paused. 

“He was attacked by a witch and lost his memories.” He spoke slow, wondering how much to plant on a fellow teenager. He knew how much it hurt him to see Stiles hurt. He couldn’t imagine what was going through Scotts mind. “We found him as a fox living in the woods. Alpha could tell that he had been through something so we took care of him, and he started to recall things, like his name, but only the first part.”

“And you didn’t think to take him to the police?” Scott snapped and Derek held his hand up. 

“Scott, the witch is still trying to get to Stiles. She caused that snow storm. Until we find out who she is and take care of her, he’s in danger. We wanted to get him home to his family, but we didn’t know who that was, and to tell the police might have meant handing him over to someone who would hurt him.”

“He’s defenseless without knowing who to trust walking down the street” Scott nodded, it all clicking. “Take me to him.” 

“But how do I know…?” Derek stopped himself. This was Scott. He knew Scott. He wasn’t a witch or being controlled by one. He was to stubborn. And he truly cared about Stiles, that much he could see. 

“Here!” Scott snapped his fingers and pulled out his wallet. “I started carrying it with me after he went missing. And to think that if Jackson hadn't tried to make fun of me for having a dead brother, I would've never been in detention for breaking his jaw.” He wiggled a warn photo out of one of the slots as he spoke and handed it over. It was of him and Stiles when they were younger, maybe ten, in a room that seemed to fit Stiles more than Scott. 

“Alright, let’s go” Derek handed back the photo and walked out into the hall, deciding to ignore that Scott got into a fight twice in one day at least. Their Alpha wouldn't be pleased. The school was oddly quiet for a wolf fight happening not five minutes ago. He expected to hear the teachers talking and his school mates making noise. There was nothing. “Scott” He swung his hand back and clapped him across the chest on accident. 

“Somethings up” Scott bared his teeth once again and shifted to his beta form. Derek let his teeth sharpen and his claw slide out. He turned and nodded toward the closest exit. Whatever was there, he felt it wanted them. Scott moved quietly, only the clicking of his claws was evidence of his movement, but it was enough. A roar filled the halls and a wave a black rushed toward them. 

“RUN!” Derek yelled, trying to stay ahead of it while shoving Scott along. The teen keep glancing over his shoulder which caused him to slow down. They weren’t going to make it. The doors were so close, but the thing reared up like a tidal wave and hit them hard. The blackness surrounded him, making him feel weightless and unable to move. He opened his mouth to howl for help but it filled with magic and he felt Scott fall beside him. He hoped with his last moment of consciousness that what ever was happening to them, that Stiles was safe.


	6. Capture

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stiles did get taken, but this time it's with company.  
> (Warning, this is where the blood comes in)

Stiles was walking around the house when there was a knock at the door. Peter had taken Ava to their new cabin but was bouncing between the two houses with boxes because she was still deciding what she wanted there. Stiles had been opening the door all day for the wolf so he didn’t bother to check on who it was before he swung it open. 

“Hello.” He froze when he saw Kate with an older man standing there. His instincts screamed at him to slam the door and run but a sharp pain in his gut made him look down. There was a knife sticking out of him, covered in a green dust. He looked up to see matching grins on their faces before he did slam the door in their faces. 

“Come now, fox, you aren’t going to make it.” The male shouted through the door with laughter in his voice. “We’re got a great deal from Anna to hand you over.”

“Phone” Stiles groaned low, yanking the knife out to stop anymore powder from getting in him. Pressing a hand over it, he staggered toward the kitchen where his phone was on the counter. He didn’t want to call Peter. He had to stay and protect his wife from the nut jobs. He only had a few numbers in the thing, all of them the Hale family, so he just needed one. 

His head spun and the house rotated around him, making him fall against the nearest wall. Reaching out, he tried to grab the phone but he was still in the wrong room. Instead his hand closed over a sharpened pencil Cora left on the floor after he helped her with her school work. 

“We have to be quick. They’ll be out of school any minute.” Kate was suddenly standing above him, digging her nails into his shoulders as she hauled him up. 

“Huh, she wants this skinny little thing?” The male huffed out a laugh before decking him.  
===========================================================================  
Stiles woke up outside of the preserve, chained to a wall in the same house he escaped from. He glanced around blearily and rolled his shoulders against the floor so he was facing the door. The chains dug into his wrists and ankles with every movement.

“Looks like she learned that lesson.” He muttered as he tried to squeeze free. He couldn’t move it a fraction of an inch. Sitting up caused agony to ripple through him and spots danced across his vision as he propped himself against the wall. Glancing down, he vaguely remembered being stabbed. He thought it would be healed by now but it was still bleeding. 

“Look who’s up” Kate’s voice was followed by the door slamming open. He cringed as light fell on him, causing his brain to implode behind his eyes. Or, at least it felt like it imploded. “You’ll have a headache.”

“Fuck you.” Stiles growled when his voice slurred around his fangs. She didn’t look impressed. Anna walked in behind her with a sweet smile on her face. She almost looked beautiful, but he knew the evil that lay beyond it. 

“Now, time to teach my pet to love me forever.” Anna raised her hand and started murmuring soft words and hard words. Sounds that were barely human and waving an odd stone around in a memorizing, repetitive motions. Stiles saw it before but this time he was prepared. 

“No. You can’t take them from me.” He screamed, curling into a ball and focusing. It hurt, a lot, but he kept running their names and faces through his mind. Derek. Cora. Laura. Derek. Peter. Derek. 

“What is happening?” A slightly frightened voice asked and he pried an eye open. There was a teenager in the room now, with the older male that was with Kate. 

“No.” Stiles could feel detail slipping away. He couldn’t remember who was pregnant. Who Alpha was, or why he made them pancakes. It had been important. “No, please. I love him.” He felt the others vanish from his mind, but he refused to let go of the teen that found him. The one who always tried to take care of him, even when he didn’t notice he was doing it. Every moment where he handed him more food, most of the time off his own plate, or covering him with a blanket in the middle of the night after a nightmare. Every little kiss or blush, he wasn’t letting them go. 

“What are you doing? You are mine.” The witch reared back and Stiles took his chance. In his hoodie pocket, he still had the pencil. Grabbing it with trembling fingers, he hid it with his hunched position. “How are you resisting me?”

“He said he loved him” The teen whispered. Stiles rolled his eyes to look at her. She looked like she was going to be sick. 

“No. He will love me.” Anna grabbed his hair and yanked him to his knees. In one motion, he pulled out the pencil and rammed it into her gut, shoving up and plunging it through her heart. A gurgling cry and she fell back. Stiles growled as he collapsed onto his side, his own stab wound bleeding from the forceful motion. 

“You’re not taking him from me” He panted out, unable to lift his head from the cold floor. The humans stared at him with matching looks of shock but the male was the first to move. 

“So, it’s more than just a twig. Better her than us.” He grabbed the body and started to drag it out of the room. 

“Don’t be so proud of yourself, fox. We were going to kill her anyway, and you.” Kate grabbed the teenager and shoved her out the door. “We needed the room anyway.” She laughed as two men dragged two bodies into it and started to chain them to the wall. It took several minutes for them to do so as the room was only equipped with one set of chains that he was being held with. He remained in silent agony as an entire childhood of memories flooded his mind as well as some with Derek’s family. Scott was here. He was knocked out but he was alive. They were all going to die but he remembered his best friend and brother. 

“Let’s drop the witch body off on the far side of the preserve so the wolves follow that instead of us.” The male commanded and there was sounds of people leaving. Stiles tried to organize what was happening in his mind but that was impossible. After a few seconds he realized that everything was falling into place, he fell limp and let it happen, watching the memories behind closed eyes as they settled into place. 

“Stiles!” Derek’s voice ripped through his head and he cracked open an eye. The werewolf was crawling closer, stretching his fingers out to cup his face. 

“Hey Der.” He managed to croak out and arms lifted him off the floor, pressing him against his chest where it was more comfortable.

“You’re hurt.” Derek held a hand tight over his stab wound, though he wondered what good it would do now. Stiles didn’t think he was going to make it. What ever the put on the knife made his body barely heal the wound. He lifted his head and for a heartbeat he didn’t recognize the wolf holding him. “Stiles.” He knew Derek saw his confusion so he reached up and tugged the wolf down for a quick, last kiss. 

“So that’s why you smelled like him.” Scott suddenly spoke from his part of the room. Derek jerked back with a faint blush and Stiles smiled at his friend.

“You had to go and say something. I could got more kisses.” He joked weakly and received matching groans of frustration. “Not a good time?” He craned his head to look back up at his wolf with the most innocent look he could manage. 

“No it’s not” Derek huffed as Scott dragged himself over. There was a scent about both of them that made Stiles think of sleep and sickness. He reached out and patted Scott without really thinking about it as Scott flopped down next to him with an arm hooked around his side. 

“How bad is he hurt?” the werewolf tapped Derek’s hand holding Stiles stomach with a finger. 

“I can speak for myself you know.” Stiles flailed an arm at him but it was off and just ended up landing on him before it fell off. Stiles glared at the limb for betraying him for being too heavy.

“You never really speak the truth when it comes to such things.” He laughed at Stiles attempts but it was strained. 

“It’s not good” Derek voice was rough and Stiles felt his face against his neck. 

“It’ll be fine” he wheezed, the arm around his chest tightening. With one hand he held Derek’s head the best he could while he nudged at Scott with the other. “I got out of here once alone, and now I have you two to help me. What could go wrong?” 

“You just cursed us” Scott loosened his grip but shifted. Stiles fought against the blackness edging at the side of his vision as his wolf held him tighter and his friend moved between them and the door. 

“What’s…?” Stiles slurred out but a hand covered his mouth. A second later the door was shoved open and the teenager he saw stumbled in. 

“Whoa!” She took a step back when her eyes landed on Scott, who snarled at her. She raised her hands in a calming manner and walked up to him, waving something slightly. “I have the keys, but we have to hurry. They’re going to be back any minute.” 

“Wha?” Scott scooted backward as she made a grab for his wrists. 

“But you’re an Argent!” Derek snapped, trying to move to block her access to Stiles while keeping pressure on the stab wound. 

“Yes, but you aren’t monsters. You didn’t hurt anyone and they’re enjoying themselves. They like hurting you and I can’t just stand by.” The teen slowly reached out as she spoke, not breaking eye contact with Scott as she took his hands and started unlocking the chains. 

“Somethings happening” Derek wrinkled his nose as he stared at the door. The teen froze, her eyes widening in panic before she lunged for the chains on Scotts feet. 

“You go and distract them while I get the others.” She yelled but Scott grabbed her shoulders and shook her slightly. 

“It’s alright. It’s help.” He practically yelled out but Stiles just stared at him. The teen looked as confused as he felt when gunshots sounded. She shoved Scott off and went back to freeing him. A second later the door slammed open to reveal a man standing there in a Sheriff’s uniform with a pissed off look on his face. Stiles gapped at him. 

“DAD!” He tried to speak but everything became to much. His father dropped the gun and ran to his side, trying to talk to him and see how injured he was. A few more people filed in to help the others. Stiles tried to talk, to tell him something. His body had to choose that moment to fall into darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter to go.


	7. Hospital

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Derek waits at the hospital to see if they can save his fox.

Derek paced around the hallway without really seeing what’s in front of him. Some people had seen Kate and Anna take him and Scott from the school so they were tracked down on charges of kidnapping. They had found Anna’s dead body being dumped by two goons, who immediately turned on the Argents. Earlier that day, it turns out there was a kidnapping filed for Allison Argent by her father, who didn’t want her with her Aunt and Grandfather but had been tied in the basement of his house so they could show her real hunting. 

“Are you hurt?” His mother asked softly and he shook his head as he continued pacing. She watched him with sad eyes. They explained everything to the police and Stiles father, who turned out to be the Sheriff that was moving back to town. He hadn’t started his job because his son went missing during the move and everyone agreed to pause the transition of his return until he found out what had happened, one way or the other. 

“How is he?” Cora burst into the hallway with wild hair and a jacket on the wrong way. Scott sat on a stretcher with his legs kicking around. 

“My moms working on him. Whatever was on the blade is making it so his body can’t heal it like normal.” The miserable looking teen supplied and Cora gasped. She glared at nothing as if she wanted to make someone pay but there was no one left to do so. Kate and Gerard were dead. They decided to fight instead of surrender to the cops. Since Allison was also technically kidnapped and trying to free them, she was considered a victim and released back to her father after a doctor made she wasn’t hurt. Stiles was rushed here right away after a call from the Sheriff and Scotts mother went to work. That was half an hour ago. 

“How did they even get him?” Derek grumbled, knowing everyone could hear him otherwise. “He was safe at home.”

“Well, Ava went into labor so Peter was taking care of her. He tried calling Stiles to let him know but he didn’t pick up.” His father shrugged, “The kid wasn’t even alone for an hour. We got back and found the blood.”

“We were going to follow the trail but we got called by the school saying you and Scott were taken.” His mother took a deep breath before cocking her head to the side. “I have to go explain to the Sheriff why we had his son for so long.”

“Do you need help with him?” Scott asked, straightening up. “I’d like to know what happened to.” His mother stared at him for a heartbeat as she mulled over what to say when the Sheriff walked in. 

“This might be something the adults need to talk about first, alone.” She spoke slowly but shook her head. “I wont mind, but if the Sheriff says no. You come straight back here.” 

“Got it” Scott hopped off the stretcher and trailed behind her as she left. Derek glanced at them as he turned to pace back up the hall when Cora grabbed his arm and tugged him to sit next to her on Scott’s stretcher. 

“What do you know?” She prodded his side roughly and he fought against the tide of emotions in him. He wanted blood, to be next to Stiles and to curl up in a ball and forget this horrible day ever happened, to go home and pretend nothing else in the world could touch them, to never let anything hurt his fox again, to know he wasn’t going to die. 

“I’m not sure. They took us using some strange black smoke that attacked us and knocked us out. I woke up chained in the room and Stiles was already there, bleeding. I covered the wound but he wasn’t acting right.” Derek shook when he realized Stiles knew he was dying and was trying to act normal about it so they wouldn’t panic. “Allison Argent came in after a while and started to free us but about that time the police showed.”

“So you have no idea how he got stabbed or how the witch died.” Cora huffed, tears starting to pour from her eyes past her air of frustration. 

“He was stabbed in the house” His father pipped up, blinking a little when both of them whipped around to stare at him. “We found his blood there, knew something had happened before we got within a mile of the house.” He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around both of them as a sign of comfort but ducked his head between them. “Don’t talk about the witch here. The police think the Argents killed her but it was Stiles. I don’t know how but I saw the body and she had one of our pencils through the heart and his scent all over her. He also smelled a lot like her blood when I saw him.”

“You mean…” Cora whispered and his father nodded. 

“You mother and I think that he tried to defend himself but only managed to get her. Don’t say anything about it though. We don’t want him getting in trouble.” His father stepped back and gave them both a kiss on the head before walking toward the door. “I’m going to make sure everything is going smooth.” 

“Do you think they’ll let us in to see him? I mean, we aren’t really family.” Cora pressed against his side and he wrapped his arms around her, needing comfort for himself as much as he wanted to comfort her. 

“I don’t know” He whispered, turning his attention to the heartbeat of the teen. He could hear it past everything and he was unsure what was happening in the room but they had stopped moving around him. It sounded like he was going to be fine but no one was talking to them. 

“What’s happening now?” Sheriff swept past with Scott following close behind. The man didn’t even glance at him as the younger werewolf pestered him. Derek blinked miserably after them but didn’t move off the stretcher. 

“Scott, what do you know about the Hales?” Sheriff questioned after several minutes of being in the same room as Stiles. Scotts heart skipped a beat and he swallowed thickly, wondering what he was going to say. “I know they are werewolves and protect the town from more dangerous creatures that end up here. I’m just a human but I’m not blind. I know Stiles is a fox, though he tried to hide it, and that you turned into a wolf. So I’m asking you, what part of this are they playing?”

“They are the reason that Stiles is alive.” Scott burst out. “I’m not sure why but I trust Stiles and he fought for them. It’s not Stockholm or anything. He… he was lost and hurt and they took care of him. They were in danger because of him, but all they cared about was keeping him safe.”

“And how do you know this?” A loud beeping from a room at the end of the hall broke his concentration and he missed the reply due to a bunch of people rushing past. He blinked as Scott appeared near him. 

“Sorry Cora, but just Derek right now. Stiles isn’t up yet.” He pawed at his arm as he spoke, moving Derek up and leading him toward the room. Derek swallowed again, glancing over his shoulder to see Cora watching him. 

“Um, they know he’s going to wake up?” He asked as he walked into the room. The Sheriff stood next to the bed with his arms crossed but an air of exhaustion about him. 

“He’s going to fine” Sheriff watched him closely but Derek couldn’t help himself. He carefully stepped around to the other side of the bed, scanning Stiles with all his senses and studying his face. After a few seconds of listening to his steady breathing and strong heartbeat was he able to relax, his legs almost buckling under him. “Whoa there, son” Hands landed on his chest as he gasped for breath. The stress of the day hitting him like a ton of bricks now that he knew that his fox was going to be fine. 

“Here” Scott dragged him backward to sit in a chair against the wall but he tried to fight it, reaching out toward the bed. “You have to rest.”

“You went through an ordeal as well, and I know now that you’re not going to hurt Stiles.” Sheriff sunk into his own chair and grabbed his sons hand.

“How’d you know?” Derek let his head fall back with a thud, but he had to fight to take his eyes off Stiles. 

“You have no game face when it comes to him.” Scott chuckled, standing and stumbling back to sit on the edge of the bed. “And I told him that I never smelled Stiles so happy, if that makes sense.”

“Kind of.” Derek closed his eyes as the room started to flicker but it felt like he was riding a roller-coaster with his eyes closed, minus the wind blasting his face and the screaming people. He thought he only closed his eyes for a second but the heartbeat in his ears changed and he jerked up. 

“Hey” Stiles laughed low, making him roll his eyes. Some nights when Stiles would have nightmares, Derek would repeat the word until he was calm again, but Stiles turned it into something of a joke. 

“Hey.” Derek clambered to his feet before dragging the seat closer to the bed. Collapsing down, he gently placed a hand on his arm, being careful of the tubes. He wondered if what he was feeling was like being hungover. 

“You’re still here?” Stiles smiled and Derek gaped at him. He glanced around to see Scott passed out on the floor and Sheriff dozing on the other chair. Part of him wanted to wake the man up but instead he turned back to his fox.

“Stiles, of course I’m still here. You’re the one trying to leave.” He flashed a playful wink and suddenly Stiles was laughing. 

“Oh god, I can’t believe I’m dating you” He held his stomach as the machines started blaring. Sheriff was up and at his side before Scott even managed to stand but both of them stood stupid when they realized what was going on. Stiles didn’t seem bothered as he slapped Derek’s arm excitedly. “Now that the witch is gone you can take me on a real date instead of just making out in your room. And I get to officially steal your hoodie.” 

“Stiles!” Derek blushed as Sheriff glared at him.

“You did what?” the man suddenly looked like he was ready to shoot him when Stiles grabbed his arm too. 

“Dad. Hi. It wasn’t anything other than a few brief kisses. We behaved, I promise. You can’t do much more when everyone in a five-mile radius could hear exactly what you are doing. Anyway, he was the one who found me as a fox and recognized me as a person.” 

“Fine” Sheriff said after taking a massive breath and letting it out. People came into the room, one a woman who looked frightened before hugging Scott in relief when Stiles waved at her. 

“Sorry for scaring everyone but my sexy boyfriend made a terrible joke.” Stiles called after them and Derek just hid his face in his hands. He was going to be a pain to live with, but a pain he couldn’t live without. 

“Man it’s good to be back.” Stiles beamed at them and Derek found himself smiling. He was glad he lost his car privilege.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please comment. This is the end. XP

**Author's Note:**

> Please comment.


End file.
